Vacant or occupied....that is the question

I'm reposting part of an old post from 2007......this is especially for Melynda so she won't think she's alone in her bathroom adventures!  By the way, if you've never visited her, go over and visit and buy her book....you'll be laughing the whole way through. 

Several years ago, I was trying to comfort a friend who was flying for the first time in years and while driving her to the airport I told her to be sure if she went to the bathroom to push the vacancy/occupied latch on the door securely! 

That is because 15 years ago,........  which would be almost 20 years ago now..... I, a very unseasoned traveler along with my younger son boarded a plane to California to see my brand new granddaughter.  I was scared to death of flying, Granddaughter was the ONLY person or thing that got me on that plane. 

We stayed for 8 days, do you hear me people? Eight days with a newborn, a couple of new parents, one of which was my son who can be very temperamental and my younger son who was very hyper!  Even though it was the thrill of my life to take that baby in my arms for the first time as a new grandparent, 8 days was too long, take my advice, 8 days is TOO LONG. On top of that I turned 40 while we were there. Three days into the stay, I slipped upstairs to a phone and begged the airline to change our tickets to go home earlier, but no deal. So after 8 days of sleeping on a cot, playing with and loving on a new baby and driving all over San Diego in 25 lanes of traffic going very fast (I may have exaggerated about the lanes)  a very tired grandmother and her son boarded the plane for the trip home. 

I was exhausted beyond, well beyond. I needed to visit the rest room, so I got up slithered past the stewardess, I mean flight attendant and got in line. Finally, my turn came and I went into the rest room for the first time ever in a plane. I pushed the latch and was sitting on the you know what with my head resting on my arm so so tired, when suddenly the DOOR OPENED, that's right folks, you have got to push that latch hard! When the door opened and the very embarrassed man jumped back and pulled the door closed, I turned my head to the mirror and thought, man I look tired. Then another thought ran through my poor, tired mind.....well, I can pull my big girl panties up and go back to my seat or I can sit here until the plane lands which was about 5 hours away. So summoning up all the dignity I had left, and trust me there wasn't much left, I walked out with my head held high....the man was no where to be seen, I figure he jumped out the emergency door, but a young girl was smirking at me from her place in line.  I'm sure SHE knew how to securely lock the door!

The point of that very long story is that I told my friend to make sure the rest room door was securely locked. She had not flown in 30 years. She called me when she got to her first stop and told me that she had to hold hands with the lady sitting beside her the entire trip and  to heck with the rest room visit! 

I said all that to say this, there must be laughter........there must always be laughter! 

So thanks Melynda for reminding me of this story and I'm laughing as I type....at you as well as myself!  Glad to know other people have embarrassing moments!